A 31-year-old man is dead after a stabbing inside a duplex well known to police near Hamilton General Hospital.

Hamilton police remain outside a home Monday on Birge Street waiting for a search warrant to enter. It's believed the incident that led to the stabbing began inside.

The victim, described by friends as a troubled father who was trying to turn his life around, managed to flee 86 Birge St. after being stabbed Sunday afternoon. He collapsed on the sidewalk in front of the building at around 2:33 p.m.

"I saw this guy completely face plant," said Danielle Heatley, who works at Wellness Parking Spaces across the street from the hospital, but with a view of Birge Street. "He wasn't moving."

Her co-worker thought the man, whose name is being withheld until next of kin has been notified, had slipped on ice and ran over to help.

"His face was covered in blood," described Heatley. "He had a cut on his neck and his face was cut up. A guy and a girl ran out and told us to call an ambulance. When the police, fire and ambulance got there, they immediately started doing CPR."

He was taken to the General without vital signs with what the Hamilton Paramedic Service described as stab wounds and died around 3:15 p.m. He was the city's second homicide of the year.

"We have witnesses and we're trying to piece it together," said Homicide Det. Peter Thom.

Friends say the man had "a big heart" but was "troubled and depressed" and sometimes used drugs.

"He had a rough year," said long time friend Jason Venne. "He was trying to get his life back."

They say he grew up in the Parkdale area and has two sons, aged 13 and 7, who live with their mom.

"We've been through a lot," said Venne. "He's been a good friend."

They met while both were in jail about 15 years ago. Venne says the man hadn't had any trouble with the law for the last 10 years, until recently.

He didn't have a job, but was a mixed martial arts fighter as a hobby, says Venne. Friends say he was visiting the duplex, which has a number of rooms in it.

"The whole house was full of people," said a friend who did not want to be identified. "I left right before it happened. He was eating French fries at a table."

Workers in the parking lot by Hamilton General say the building where the stabbing took place is well known by those in the area.

"There is a lot of disruption in the neighbourhood because of that building," said Heatley. "I've seen a few fights but nothing this serious. It's a really bad neighbourhood. This area has a bad reputation."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Angela Abrams at 905-546-4129. You can also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.